Device for regulating the intensity of action of massaging or exercising machines



Fe l 18, 1930. U H M 1,747,372

DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE INTENSITY OF ACTION OF MASSAGING OR EXERCISING MACHINES Filed July 11, 1928 r I I I I I INVENTOR: 1 HLFREQ 0. LUEHRMH/VN- :3" BY J A 7- TOR/war.

Patented Feb. 18, 1930' UNITED STATES ALFRED D. LUEHRMANN fOF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF 'TO- FRANCIS X. MEEHAN, OF ST. LOUIS, IVJIISSOUEI DEVICE FOR REGULATING THE INTENSITY OF ACTION 0F MASSAGING 0R EXERCISING' MACHINES Application filed July 11, 1928. Serial No. 291,885

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in exercising or massaging machines, and has for 1ts ob ect the provision of novel means for ad usting the 6 end portions of thevbelt betweenthe body of the user and the-machine toward Orfromeach otherrto vary the-degree'of the agitatlng action of thebeltupon the body of the user.

Inanapplication filed of even date here- 10 with in the nameof Luehrmann and Meehan,

the idea-of making such; adjustment is broadly claimed. The present invention s dlrected to the preferred form of-such ad usting means referred to and illustrated in such companion application. 7

As stated in said companion application, while many ,ofthese massaging and exerc sing machines are provided with means for reducing or increasing the severity of the agitating. action, the adjustment of the machine is not alwaysteasy, especiallyyforwomen, and cannot be effected while the-machine is in use. Further, some, makes of machines have no means whatever for adjusting the degree o'f-theagitating action. 1

The ,presentinvention aims to provide simple andnreadily operative means ;for regulating the degree of the agitating action of the belt upon the-body, and tothisen'd, comprises an adjusting device having two relatively movable members engaging the respective end portions of. the belt, preferably through corresponding iapertures provided in the latdraw thesaid end portions of the belt between ter, whereby, by manipulating saiddefvice to of Fig. 2, the nature of the view showing the adjusting device in front elevation; t

Figure ,4 is anenlarged sectional view of the ratchet mechanism; and Figure 5 is a side view slightly in perspec tive illustrating'the general use of the invention.

Referring now to .the drawing, the numerals1.,2 (Fig.5) indicate, respectively, the hooks on the two arms of an exercising or massaging machine, on which hooks the ends of avbelt 3 .are adaptedto be removably secured. Tothis end, each end of the belt is provided with a loop t usually of leather, which may be readily inserted over the hooks 1 and 2. The belt 3is preferably ofcanvas. When so applied and with the hooks 1 and 2 reciprocating rapidly in alternation, the

belt will be drawn with great rapidity back h and forth on the body of the user, producing a more or less v'iolentagitation ofthe body, depending upon the degree ofseverity of'the vib-ratingaotion employed. This action may be easily and conveniently regulated by my improved device and without interfering with the operation, as will be apparent from the following description. I r

The numerals 5, 6, and 7 indicate, respectively corresponding sets of eyeleted openings formed in the end portions of the-belt 3 at corresponding distancesfrom the ends thereof That is to say, the corresponding-- apertures 5 are located at a comparatively short distance from the respective ends oi' the belt, the apertures 6 at a greater distance,

and the apertures .7 at the greatest distance from the ends of the belt.

My improved adjusting device is made of metal, preferably, and comprises two telescoping or relatively movable memberswhich a are adapted to be inserted in one ortheother of the sets of apertures5, 6, and 7 in the end portionsv of the belt and to be adjusted in various positions to draw such end portions of the belt toward each other. To this end, 9-

one member 8 of the device is formed of a metalrbar having the shape, substantially, of an, elongated U providing a head? and two legslO, 11. The other me1'nber12 of the device. of substantially. the same shape, hav- 13 toward each other, in order to decrease the 1 distance between the. end portions of the i V inga head 13 and two legs Hand 15. The

legs 14 and 15 ofthe member '12 are hollow and are adapted to slidably receive the legs 10 and 11 of the member8. The upper leg 11 of the'member Sis provided on its upper ofthe le 11 by a coil spring 19. The upper I end oftheprojection 17 is screwthreaded and a cap 20 screwed on its outer end maintains the ratchet pin in proper position. The said V ratchetpin projects through the upper endoi this capand has a head 22by grasping which with the fin'gersthe ratchetpin may be lifted I p belt, and-automatic means, releasable at-will,

out 'of-engagement with the ratchet teeth to d enable the two members ofthe adjusting device. to: be-pulled' apart and, ifnecessary, sep- I 'ar ated.f This latter, of course, 1s necessary I when firstapplying the device'to the belt 3, 1 in order to enable the respective legs of the two members of said device to: be passedthrough the corresponding apertures '5, 6, or 7 of the belt. The ratchet teeth'and ratchet pin c o-operate in a manner to permit the two;

members of the adjusting device to be easily pushed-inward, to bring: the two heads 9 and i belt,.but to prevent the separation of the two i members of the device after the'samephave t been once adjusted. In the movement of the two members of the device toward each other,

7 the heads 9 and 13 engage the'outer sidesof other; l

the two end portions of the beltto likewise draw such portions ofgthe belt toward each In operation, it will be seen that the justing device can be pulled apart a suflicient *will'result Then, 'bysimply pressing the two heads' 9 and13 towardeach other, the ratchet V pinwill pass over the ratchet teeth 16 and the two endportions of the belt will be drawn a greater or less distance toward eachfother,

as shown-by Fig. 2, andwillbemaintained' in, this position by the engagement of the i fratchetip'in with the'ratchet teeth. This, as

stated, decreases the severity of the Y action, and further'adjiistments can be made either to further decrease the severity of the action 7 flit-An, adjustingjdevice adapted to be 7 or to. increasethe same, as will be undere stood;

mounted on and supported by the exercising v belt of a massaging machine, comprising two slidab'ly connected members each .ofwhich has a'fbelt-engagingmeans, and releasable means carriedby one of said members and engaging the other for holding the two members in fixed relation to each other at will.

2. An adjusting device for exercising belts 'comprlsmga member having a head and two parallel tubular legs projecting therefrom, a

second member having ahead and twolparallel legs projecting therefrom and slidably monnted in the legs of-the first member, a series of teeth on one of saidinner legs, and a co -operlar leg. V

ating ratchet carried by the companionztubusg 3. An adjusting device for the b elt of'an 1 two ends of the belt areiattached to the machine, comprising two telescoping'members each of which isprovidedwith ahead for en'- exercising or massaging machine in which the gaging the outer side ofan' end portion ofthe carried byione of said members and co-operat the two heads t be movedtoward each oth r and) F V mrfl'om separatin 4:. Ina'massaging machine ofthe vibrating i belt type,in'combination with=the exercising belt, two "relatively-movable ;members sup-5 draw the engaged portions of the-"belt to'-- ward each other, "and means for holding'the e ing with the other and operating topermit said members to any positiim to ad-j 1 justed;

belt type, in combinatioawith the; exercising '5. In. a massaging m'achine of theyibrating ice belt, two "relatively movable members. sup

ported thereon engaging, 'respectively,* the sides of' the belt at'ipoints removed from-its ends, and adjustable toward each other v' to draw the engaged portions of the'belt-toward each other, and adjustable meansfor holding the'said members to any position to a'djusted. 1

6 An adjusting-"deviceadapted to "bev mounted on and supported. by the .exerc'ising'belt of a massagingmachine'comprisingtwo coo-operating members: movable toward. 7

and from eachother, eachlo-f whichhas means forengaging the outer-side'ofone end portion" l of the belt when the ends of the latterare att i Ttached to the machine, and automatic means, I 1

releasable at will,';for preventing a separat 'ing movement of the two jmembers-after ail relative movement thereof;

In te imony w myhand. t,

e eoel hav h miihtbjset' 

